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A GUIDE FROM SEMALT TO BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HTTP AND HTTPS PROTOCOLS





The address of each website appearing in the browser bar is preceded by an
appropriate protocol: HTTP or HTTPS. Even if you enter the address directly, for
example, any-adres.com, it is automatically completed with HTTP or HTTPS,
respectively, ensuring the correct display of the website. This is because the
protocols are an integral part of the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or website
address.


In connection with the structure of URLs, it is worth noting that the website
addresses with the HTTP and the HTTPS protocols are two completely different
addresses! Among other things, that is why it is very important from the point
of view of website positioning. What's more, their counterparts without www are
another two different addresses, giving us a total of 4 combinations. However,
in this article, we will focus on the difference between the protocols
themselves. 


The HTTP and HTTPS abbreviations mean the client-server communication protocols,
i.e. how the user visiting the website will receive information from the server
containing the content he or she wanted to read. The main difference between
HTTP and HTTPS is how the website is secured and the data passes through. As the
awareness of the threats on the Internet grows over time, more and more
attention is paid to the security of the information transmitted. In connection
with the above, you can feel the trend of switching from HTTP to HTTPS on the
Internet, which has been fuelled by Google for years, including in the
guidelines for webmasters, where it is recommended to use the HTTPS protocol as
often as possible.


In the following, we will try to explain what HTTP and HTTPS are, what makes
each protocol different, and what SEO benefits you can get by changing the
protocol if this is possible. To discuss the problem in more detail, first, you
need to know the basic definitions of both protocols and related concepts.


HTTP PROTOCOL

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a protocol of communication between the
user and the server (where the website files are stored) which allows data to be
transferred. By default, it works on port 80. Its purpose is to present the
content of the indicated website to the specific user who made the request.


The HTTP protocol has been used since the 90s of the last century to communicate
between the client and the server by exchanging data between them. To put it
simply:
 * the client sends a query to the server (request);
 * the server sends data back to the client, (website content/resources);
 * it does not specify how the data from point A (client) got to point B
   (server).

It is worth noting that the HTTP protocol belongs to the stateless protocols -
this means that it does not store data. As a result, the server is not
overloaded with too much data and can run faster. This fact is troublesome when
the site is used several times in short intervals - each time the data must be
downloaded from the server from scratch.


To avoid this problem, websites based on the HTTP protocol are supported by
cookies, which allow the collection of data on people who visited the site. The
data obtained in this way may be used by the website owner for various purposes.
If you've ever implemented a remarketing campaign for your website, you've
certainly used this mechanism.


HTTPS PROTOCOL





HTTPS is an encrypted version of the HTTP protocol, running by default on port
443. It is a communication between the client and the server without specific
parameters. The HTTPS protocol encrypts the transmitted data. The process is
carried out using the SSL/TLS protocol, which allows you to avoid situations of
data interception or, even worse, modification.


As described in the introduction, the HTTPS protocol is located in the search
field in front of the website address and is an integral part of it. Typically,
the HTTPS protocol is used for sites that require more trust in the server.
Therefore, it should be present at the following addresses:
 * electronic banking websites;
 * exchange offices;
 * loan portals;
 * online stores;
 * sites that offer credit card payments;
 * portals with the possibility of registering and logging in users;
 * pages that can enter personal data.

The terms HTTPS and SSL are very often used interchangeably, which is not
entirely true, even though in everyday speech they were adopted due to their
convergence and application. The HTTPS protocol enables the transfer of
information between the server and the client (browser) in the same way as HTTP
does, while the SSL or TLS certificate defines the method of data transmission.


Worth remembering:
 * Applying an SSL or TLS certificate will cause the URL to change from HTTP: //
   to HTTPS: //.
 * The HTTPS protocol is an encrypted version of the HTTP protocol that encrypts
   the connection using an SSL/TLS certificate.
 * For HTTP and HTTPS, it doesn't matter how the data reaches its destination.
 * An SSL or TLS certificate takes care of how the data is transferred, but it
   does not know what the data looks like.
 * The default port for the HTTPS protocol is 443 and for HTTP it is 80.


HTTP AND HTTPS





The difference between HTTP and HTTPS may have an impact on network security.
The HTTPS protocol, which means that the connection is encrypted, allows the
transmission of data in a way that makes it difficult to intercept. If you use
an unencrypted connection, i.e. a website based on the HTTP protocol, there is a
risk of data interception by unwanted persons.


In addition, more and more often in web browsers, a message about the lack of an
SSL certificate appears next to the URL address. This is a message that, from
the usability side of the page, can effectively discourage a potential user from
converting or even browsing the website itself. This state is the result of
Google's long-term policy aimed at the widespread use of the HTTPS protocol.


Regardless of which website you run, you should take care of the safety and good
user experience by securing the transmitted information using the SSL/TLS
protocol whenever possible. Especially since, among other things, Google Chrome
marks all pages on HTTP as unsecured.


SSL CERTIFICATE - HTTP TO HTTPS CONVERSION

The SSL certificate (Secure Socket Layer) makes the data exchanged between the
server and the client completely safe. It is used to change the protocol from
HTTP to HTTPS. TLS is used for the same purpose, but since it is a newer version
of SSL, the two terms are often used interchangeably.


HOW DOES SSL WORK?

The principle of operation of SSL is quite complex and technically advanced due
to the complex cryptographic operations performed within the framework of secure
data transfer. For the purposes of the article, we will try to simplify the
principle of operation using an example, showing what can happen if you do not
use an SSL/TLS certificate.
 * The basis of operation is asymmetric encryption, which consists in generating
   a pair of keys (public-private). It is as if there is a padlock that can be
   locked with one (public) key and only unlocked with a matching (private) key.
 * The public key is visible to everyone. (Available to anyone who wants to
   leave/forward a message. And it Cannot be used to decrypt a message).
 * The private key is only available to the recipient. (Only he or she can use
   it to open the message.)
 * An important task of SSL/TLS is to confirm the compliance of certificates,
   i.e. whether the public keys of the recipient and sender were used during the
   data exchange. The lack of this mechanism makes it possible to carry out a
   Man-in-the-middle attack, in which a third party changes the keys in the
   communication process.

Imagine that your store customer gets a different account number (swapped by a
third party) or that you get a delivery address different from the customer who
paid for the ordered goods.


SWITCH TO HTTPS

If you plan to rebuild your website and it uses the HTTP protocol, it is good to
consider using an SSL/TLS certificate and switching to HTTPS when publishing a
new version of the website. This way, you will save a lot of your time and that
of the SEO specialists working for your success by implementing redirects when
refreshing the page instead of doing it twice. At the same time, you will
increase the security of the transmitted data on the website.


TYPES OF SSL CERTIFICATES





There are many solutions and companies that issue certificates on the market.
The offer of certificates is also quite wide and the choice depends on the
website itself and the goal to be achieved by installing the certificate.
Basically, certificates are divided into 3 different classes with different
levels of verification:
 * DV (Domain Validation)
 * OV (Organization Validation)
 * EV (Extended Validation)

It is better to consult with your SEO specialist and/or hosting provider or
developer on which one to choose. More detailed information about the
differences between individual certificates and how to transfer the website to
HTTPS along with step-by-step instructions can also be found on our blog.


HTTPS AND SEO

It is well known that Google algorithms for positioning change very often and
the position of individual pages is influenced by many factors. However, taking
into account the current trends, activities and statements of Google, it can be
concluded that the use of the HTTPS protocol is one of the ranking factors taken
into account when evaluating the site and that its importance will become more
and more over time. 


So what is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS in the context of website
positioning? Will the transition effects be visible in the website items? There
is no clear indication that the day has come when you should switch to the HTTPS
protocol (as long as you are not sending sensitive data). Moreover, for small or
young pages with low visibility, you will most likely not feel any difference in
such a transition. 


However, if the website already has relatively high visibility, it competes for
many different keywords, mainly from the long tail, even a small change, a
slight increase in position may have an impact on the fact that more people will
appear on it. Our competitor analysis tool the Dedicated SEO Dashboard can
reveal the main competitors in the required niche, check their
traffic-generating keywords and get an idea of their promotion strategy.






In addition, you should not forget about the increased security of the website,
which means that users may be more likely to convert.


Are your websites already operating on the HTTPS protocol? Are you already
planning such a change? Contact us!



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